Chinese word

怜惜

Pronunciation

Pinyinlián xī

Meaning

  • verbfeel sorry for

Example

她很怜惜那个老人。tā hěn lián xī nà ge lǎo rén

She feels very sorry for that old man.

Illustration for 怜惜 (feel sorry for)

More examples

孩子的遭遇让人感到怜惜。hái zi de zāo yù ràng rén gǎn dào lián xī

The child's experience makes people feel sorry for them.

Core concept

Seeing another person's suffering creates a tender feeling that treats the person as worth caring for.

Common phrases

  • 感到怜惜gǎn dào lián xī

    feel sorry for

  • 令人怜惜lìng rén lián xī

    make people feel sorry

  • 怜惜弱者lián xī ruò zhě

    feel sorry for the weak

Similar words

同情tóng qíng: Sharing someone else's sorrow by understanding their situation and feelings.
可怜kě lián: Feeling sorry for someone seen as pitiful and wanting to help.

Definition in Chinese

对别人的不幸或困境表示同情，觉得可怜并想帮助。duì bié rén de bú xìng huò kùn jìng biǎo shì tóng qíng jué de kě lián bìng xiǎng bāng zhù

Word origin

怜 (lián, "to pity") and 惜 (xī, "to cherish or feel sorrow over") combine to describe compassion that includes a reluctance to see someone suffer.

Usage tips

  • This verb has a somewhat literary or serious tone, so it is more likely in writing and careful speech than in relaxed everyday chat.

Opposites

  • 蔑视miè shìdespiseverb
  • 轻视qīng shìlook down onverb

Word lists with this word